prelude:ex VERY HAPPY AERO 117 owner
weight ~ 80 Kg
favourite sail 6.8
stock fin free ride
straps out but not all the way back

traded A117 in for KA127
- both boards supposedly have the same width (although the writing on my board states 72 cm width)
- due to sb policies you never know if 117 is 117 or 127 or something else so I can&#39;t say if the A117 has the same volume as the KA127
- I had two sessions:
1) flat water with wind and 6.2 sail (planing was somewhere between sticky and superglue) but I had attributed that to the sail (hardly ever use that one)
2) waves (- 1.5 meter a bit further out but still mushy and random chop) used my favourite sail (6.8), planing was no problem, b oard did like getting a bit of air

impressions
What shall I say, I downright hate that board.
Both sessions: gybing no fun and the board was spinning out quite a bit. It felt too large and slow (GPS said the same).

So for my conditions and my specs there is no current replacement for the A117. I will have to see if I can still get my hands on a new last years model.

Unless the opportunity falls in my lap to try the KAE&#39;s I was planning to just continue to be delighted with my original AE117. From a purely technical perspective for my objectives, I was not happy with the Starboard change. Now with Duracell&#39;s comments I am even more reinforced to stick with the great set up that I have put together.

Well first of all I wanted a A117 successor: doesn&#39;t exist, the new KA117 is narrower, the new KA127 has the "same" dimensions as the old A117 +10 liters more volume. So the KA127 ~ A117 (as far as I can judge). KA127 gets too big too fast in the waves. I personally think the KA127 is for HEAVY sailors and not necessarily for light winds...

Another thing is (which I should mention as I want to be fair): my KA127 came with 2 fins (the freeride 400 and a wave fin). On the this site the board should only come with 1 fin (and a different one). That might make a difference.

Did my dealer just give me the wrong fins or is the first one to get a new KA127 the sucker?

Well, I haven&#39;t sailed the new K-Aeros and only the A117 (and the Starsurfer 127 which is the A127 shape but heavier) so its hard for me to give detailed response. I don&#39;t know about the fins either, but I know that I got my (very early production) Kombats and Flare with the old fins because the new Crossover fins were not ready. I also don&#39;t know how much the new K-Aero fin is updated from the old Freeride flow. The new fins are still labeled freeride flow and are one size smaller than 06. So, if the fin is not updated you would actually be lucky to get an extra fin compared to what is supposed to come with the board.

In any case, I think its often a bit decieving to focus so much on width (as some magazines has told us to do). I tested Acid 74 protos which were almost 2 cms apart in width and they had exacly the same feel when it comes to sail carrying and such things. One of them turned out to be a better board, but not because of the width per se. So, therefore my own decicion if I were to get a new board instead of my K117 would easily have been to choose the KA117, despite the less width. Of course such a decision involves lots of stuff (I&#39;m light, will not use a 9sqm sail etc). I do have Dols original test report of the two Aeros in the back of my head and I recall he thought the difference in "size feel" beween them was substantial. So, you might just have to big a board and if you could test the 117 it would be very interesting.

The Kobat Aero is said to be faster by definition. Definitions can be wrong.
If it could be stated that when matched equally with the 2006 Aero it was faster by &#39;x&#39; knots we would be dealing with experimental results.

Ola H responded many times to Aero threads, yet heonly tested the 2006 Aero weeks ago. He has not tested the Kombat Aero.

How the Kombat Aero performs with &#39;heavier users&#39; is what interests heavier users.

I intended replacing my Kombat and Aero with a 2007 Kombat and Kombat Aero. I have looked carefully at the site and decided to take no action until I have information that is more concrete.

The test report a few weeks ago was written after the first time I took it out in conditions where I could honestly say I tested its wave ride ability butI&#39;ve actually had my Aero 117 since fall and sailed it in freeride mode many times during spring and early summer. SO, the commenst I have been giving before actually does come from real life experience. Not that I have anyhting against theory (I&#39;m a mathematician...) but practice is kind of nice too when it comes to these things...

The thing I know about the K-Aero comes from talking to the designers. The fact is that rocker, v and such things are not altered but outline is. However, I cant say from personal experience how this affacts the ride.

I&#39;ll see if I can get the designer Per in here to give som comments.

-> Ola H
funny, it seems to be common knowledge, that 1 of the two supplied fins is only good if you want to sell your board in original state so you only receive 1 usable fin and that one will pose a problem later on when you want to sell the board (because the catalog states a different fin belongs to the board, nice discussions is all I can say to that). Besides that the Freride 400 & or board + Freeride 400 don&#39;t work too well.
Solved problem: Got rid of board. Exchanged K107 & KA127 for KA117 & ST137. A117 was not to be had anymore .

-> Phill104
I don&#39;t trust a board longer than a year, especially if its wood (sorry guy&#39;s but wood just doesn&#39;t last the pounding day in day out).
I&#39;ve almost changed my entire quiver
PA73 -> K86 (now my favorite board B))
ST104 -> --
A117 -> KA117
-- -> ST137
big question still remains what to do about my FT138
I&#39;m still undecided
either the largest iSonic or Formula or Apollo or none and I just keep the FT138 for the days the ST137 just isn&#39;t enough

I pray the KA117 will not be as disapointing as the KA127 was.

-> to all

Just for the books, the KA127 could be for others a fantastic board, it&#39;s just NOT a replacement for a happy A117 customer. Maybe HEAVY guys will have fun on it or light guys who never experienced an A117.